Tag Archives: finish line

It is difficult to stay motivated when there is a long road ahead and the finish line is a far distance away. I remember trying to press through college and wondering if I would ever finish. As time passes and the goal appears so far out of reach, it is hard to keep from falling off course.

In Hebrews, the writer mentions how Abraham, Noah and others died believing the promises of God. They had not yet received what they were promised. They believed. But they had not yet received. The writer said, “They saw it all from a distance and welcomed it.”

We receive promises from God just as these great men. These promises are from a distance. We too can only believe God and welcome what He has promised. He keeps His promises. He is faithful. There might be times when it is hard to stay motivated, but this life is a small span compared to the eternity we have with God. From a distance is a peace unable to comprehend. From a distance there is joy like no other. From a distance is life in abundance, eternal life, true life as God intended.

“All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.” – Hebrews 11:13 [NLT]

On a recent trip I drove from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. The drive did not seem so long except when we were in Virginia. It seemed like Virginia went on forever. When I compared the time we spent in Maryland and West Virginia, it was very apparent that the journey as longer. I started to feel exhausted. I started to doubt if we would ever get out of Virginia and reach our destination. The trip did not look like this on Google Maps.

As we understand our journeys in life, we usually have some sort of perception of what to expect. We use our knowledge, our experiences, and even other experiences to help prepare us for what lies ahead with the current road we are traveling. The problem arises when reality is very different from what we expected. We start to lose momentum, to get exhausted, to even have doubts.

Don’t give up. If God has called you to do something, you will reach the finish line. The road is not always going to be quick or smooth, but He is faithful. Focus on God, not on your expectations of the situation. We cannot know 100% what the situation will bring our way, but we can trust our unchanging God. I eventually made it to North Carolina and you will eventually reach your destination as well. Keep pressing forward. We each have a long road ahead of us, but it promises us a beautiful future.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24